EFCC Witness: How I Received and Paid $3 Million into Aisha Achimugu’s Company Account
By Erewunmi Peace
A prosecution witness for the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Trinity Usman, has told the Federal High Court in Abuja how he received and transferred $3 million into the account of Oceangate Engineering Oil & Gas Ltd, a company linked to Nigerian businesswoman Aisha Achimugu.
Usman, a Bureau De Change (BDC) operator and businessman, testified before Justice Emeka Nwite during the ongoing trial of Halima Buba, Managing Director of SunTrust Bank, and Innocent Mbagwu, Executive Director and Chief Compliance Officer of the bank.
The EFCC is prosecuting the two bank officials for allegedly facilitating high-value cash transactions totaling $12 million, in violation of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
According to the witness, the transaction took place in April 2025, when one Suleiman Ciroma contacted him to deliver the funds to Achimugu’s company. Usman said he used his oil and gas firm, Triple A and Tee Oil & Gas Nigeria Ltd, to make the transfer since his BDC license had been suspended at the time.
He explained that the money was transferred in four tranches to the company’s account and that he earned a commission from the transaction.
Both defendants, Buba and Mbagwu, have pleaded not guilty to the charges. The case was adjourned to December 10 and 11, 2025, for further hearing.
The EFCC maintains that the transactions violated anti-money laundering laws and were part of a broader investigation into suspicious banking activities.
